Ignition system



J. H. HUNT IGNITION SYSTEM Feb. 27, 1923,

Filed Oct. 25, 1920 5 shets-sheet 1 'J. H. HUNT IGNITION SYSTEM Feb. 27, 1923.

' Filed Oct. 25, 1920 5 sheets-sheet 2 I [Z/II 17,955 25 wa/w Feb. 27, 1923.

J. H. HUNT IGNITION SYSTEM Filed Oct; 25, 1920 5 sheets-sheet 5 Feb. 27, 1923.

J. H. HUNT IGNITION SYSTEM Filed Oct. 25, 1920 5 sheets-sheet L i /i175v E5 Patented Feb. 27, 1923.

UNITED .ST'ATE S PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. HUNT, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE DAYTON ENGINEERING LABO- RATORIES COMPANY, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

IGNITION SYSTEM.

Application filed October 25, 1920. Serial No. 419,296.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. HUNT, a

citizen of the United States of America, re-.

sucked into the engine. It is one of the objects of the invention to provide single spark I ignition for the running of the engine, but to provide"sparkshover ignition for the starting of the engine after the explosive. mixture has been sucked into the engine cyl-- inders. More particularly it is an object of I the invention to eliminate the possibility of a reversal of rotation of the engine when. starting upon vibrating spark or spark shower ignition.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a unitary structure whereby the foregoing objects may be carried out, said structure being readily accessible for adjustment'and replacement of parts.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being .had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of an ignition. unit embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the unit shown in Fig. 1, the section of the distributor rotor being taken on the line 22 of Fig. 7, while the sectional view of other parts is taken substantially on the line 2-2 of FigsQl and 3;

Fig. 3 is aplan View of the ignition coil assembly;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken on the line'-4'4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the brackets for supporting .the ignit on coil shown in Figs. 3 and'4;

Fig. 6 shows a sectional View of the distributor head shown in Fig. 2, but the v scribed in detail later.

switch shown in a different position. Fig. 6 Y

shows an end elevation of the ignition coil assembly running in the direction ofthe arrow 6 of Fig. 3. -Fig. 6 shows a sectional view of the distributor rotor takenon the line 66 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the rotor shown in Fig. 6, with the rotor cover shown in Fig. 9

removed; I

Fig. 8 is an edge view of the rotor, shown in Fig. 7;

gig. 9 is a planrview of.v the rotor cover; an

Fig. 10 is a wiring diagram of an ignition system in which the ignition unit shown in Fi s. 1 to 9 is used.

Feferring to the drawings the ignition unit includes a base 20 by means of which the unit may be mounted upon the frame of an engine. The base 20 is provided with a bearing 21 'to receive a sleeve 22 of the timer cup 23. Sleeve 22 supports bearings 24 and 25 within which the timer shaft 26 is journ-alled. Shaft 26 supports timer cam 27 and distributor rotor 28 which will be de- Timer cup 23 supports a bracket 30 carrying a stationary f timer contact 31 arranged to be engaged by.

a movable contact 32 mounted on a breaker lever 33. Lever 33 is pivotally mounted upon the bracket 30 but is insulated there from; A leaf spring 34 is fastened at one end to bracket 35 supported by timer cup 23 but insulated therefrom and the middle portion of spring 34 is electrically connected with the lever 33, and the other end of spring 34 bears against a rubber cushion 34 I which transmits the spring pressure to the lever 33. This feature is described in my copending application Serial No. 208,369, filed December 22, .1917. It will be understood that c'oiitact 31 is grounded upon the,

base 20." The bracket 35 is connected by a conductor 36 with a stud 37 mounted upon the timer cup 23 but insulated therefrom. Stud 37 terminates in a threaded portion 38. A similar stud 39 is also mounte upon timer cup 23 but insulated therefrom and is provided with a threaded portion 40.

Distributor head 41 is provided with ears 43 ai1d 44 which are apertured to provide for the" projection therethrough of studs 39 and stud 37 asses. A nut 46 engages the stud 37 and t e spring 47 is interposed between nut 46 and the strip 45. When the nut 46 is turned down upon the threaded portion 38 the head 41 will be secured upon the timer cup 23 and an electrical connection will be provided between the stud 37 and the strip 45. The head 41 supports 'a conducting strip 48 through which the threaded portion 40 of the stud 39 passes. 1 A nut 49 engages portion 40 and a spring 50 is interposed between nut 49 and the strip 48. By turning down the nut 49- upon the portion 40, the head 41 will be secured in position upon the timer cup 23 and an effective connection will be made between the stud 39 and the strip 48.

The distributor head 41 is provided with a coil housing 51 within the semicylindrical wall of which is embedded aconductor 52 having one end 53 projecting slightly into the chamber within the .coil housing, and

the other end of conductor 52 terminates in a switch contact 54. The head 41 is provided with a switch portion 55 provided with parallel passages 56 and 57. A switch contact 58 is arranged to slide within passage 56, and in oneportion, contact 58 engages switch contact 54 and switch contact 59 also embedded within the block 55 and surrounding the passage 56. The contact 58 is secured to a non-conducting rod 60 connected with yoke 61 provided with a handle 62. Yoke 61 supports a movable switch contact 63 sliding within the passage 57 and arranged to engage stationary switch contacts 64 or 65, the latter of which is electrically connected with the conducting strip 45. The yoke 61 also supports a contact 66 electrically connected with contact 63. Contact 66 slides within a sleeve 67 which is fastened within the passage 57. l

The ignition coil assembly will now be described. This assembly includes a base 70 which supports coil brackets 71 and 72 which in turn support ignition coil 73 comprising a center bolt 74, a core of small round wires 75, primary 76, a secondary 77, bells 78 andend laminae 79-. The brackets 71 and 72 are insulated from each other and from the iron portion of the' coil 73 by means of non-conducting discs 80. One end of both primary and secondarywindings 76 and 77, respectively, is connected with the bracket 71 by a wire 81. The other end of the primary 76 is connected with bracket 72 by wire '82. The outer end of the secondary 77 terminates in a cli 83 which is located so as to engage the switch contact 59 when the coil assembly is in the position shown in Fig. 2. he base 70 is held in this position by means of a bolt 84 passing through bracket 71 through the head 41 and through the conducting strip 48, and by means of a nut 85 engaging the outer end of bolt 84.

mea

In this .manner an electrical connection is made between the strip 48 and the bracket 71 and hence between the stud or bolt 39 and the primary winding 76 and the secondary 77 of the ignition coil 73. Thisbolt 39 con-- stitutes the ignition coil terminal which is connected with a battery in the wiring diagram to bedescribed. The base 70 is se cured in position also by means of a screw 86 which passes through the coil bracket 72 and has screw threaded engagement with the sleeve 67. In this manner an electrical connection is provided from the primary winding 76 to the sleeve 67 and hence, when the-switch handle 62 is in the position shown in Fig. 6, to the contact 65, strip 45, stud 37, conductor 36, bracket 35, spring 34, breaker lever 33, movable contact 32, stationary contact 31 which is grounded.

The base 70 supports a ring conductor 90 which terminates flush with the lower surface of base 70 and is connected with a brush 91 which engages the projecting end 53 of the conductor 52. Base 70 supports a center stationary contact 92 connected by strip 93 with a brush 94. When the switch contact 58 is in the position shown in Fig. 6, this brush 94 is engagedby the lower end of movable switch contact 58. w

'The distributor rotor 28 includes a block 100 of non-conducting material within which is embedded a metallic hub 101. A' screw 102 extends through hub 101 and engages screws 110 having threaded engagement with metallic block 111 embedded within the rotor block 100. A hole 112 is provided in cover 108 to permit the projection therethrough of brush 105. Cover 108 supports a non-conducting block 113 carrying a brush 114 pressed by a spring 115 against the center contact 92. Members 114 and 115 move within a metallic socket 116 electrically connected with a strip 117 which, when the cover 108 is assembled upon rotor block 100 engages a tube 118 embedded within block 100. (See Fig. 6). A brush 119 slides within. sleeve 118 and is pressed by spring 120 against the distributor track 121 which is constructed preferably of rubber and em bedded within the moulded composition of the distributor head 41 which is preferably of bakelite. A series of stationary distributor conductors 125 are embedded within the head 4.1 and terminate flush with a track denser 148 is shunted around 121, and extend through to the outside of the head 41 where the threaded portions 126 are engaged by terminal nuts 127.

In the wiring diagram shown in Fig. 10 the switch, which has been described, is shown diagrammatically. The movable contact 58 is represented by a -lever 58 while the contacts 66, 63 are representedby a lever having the same numerals. The yoke 61 is represented by a cross bar 61 connecting these levers. A battery 130 grounded to 131 is connected with a switch 132 which in turnis connected by wire 133 with the stud 39 shown in Fig. 2 and represented by a dot in Fig. 10. The stationary switch contact 64 shown in Figs. 2 and 10 is connected by wire 135 with a vibrator 140 having an electrical in any suitable manner.

nected by wire 164 with contact .125.

It willv be noted that the cam 27 is provided with a series'of relatively sharp lobes 27 and blunt lobes 27 alternately spaced, and it will be noted that the stationary contacts 125 of the distributor head 41 are not spaced equally but are spaced so that the alternate spaces between these contacts are equal. For sake of convenience thisspacing is described as asymmetrical. The construction of the cam and the spacing of the distributor contacts provide for ignition of equal intensity for the various cyllnders of an internal-combustion engine having asymmetrical firing order. Such an engine is indicated by numeral 160 which is a twin six engine of the V type having the two rows of cylinders set with their axes positioned'at 45 degrees. Cylinder 161 is located in onerow and is the cylinder firing just before a cylinder 162 in the other row. The spark plug 163 of cylinder 161 is clolil e spark plug 165 of cylinder 162 is connected by wire 166 with contact 125". A piston 167 slides within the cylinder, 161- and is connected by rod 168 with a crank arm 169.

A piston 170 slides within cylinder 162 and is connected by a rod 171-with a crank arm 172. Theangle between arms 169. and 172 is 120 degrees. The direction of rotation of the arms is representedby arrow 173. Piston 170 is travelling upward in the direction of arrow 174 while piston 167 is travelling downward in the direction of arrow 175.

The operation of this form of the invention is as follows:

In aviation work it is the practice to turn the propeller shaft until the cylinders of the engine have received a charge of explosive mixture following which the pro-' peller is brought into such a position that, at the same time, one of the pistons, of the engine will have substantially reached its upward dead center position nearing the end of its compression stroke, such piston being numbered 170.; In the normal. operation of the engine the explosive mixture in cylinder 162 will be ignited from aspark from the plug 165. It will be noted that the cam 27, rotating in the direction of arrow 27, has just caused the breaker lever 33 to separate contacts 31 and 32, while the rotor 28, rotating in the direction of arrow 28, has brought the brush 119 into contact with the distributor contact 125". such conditions a sparking impulse would normally have been delivered to the plug 165. However, to start the engine on com- Under pression the switch contact 58 1s moved, by'

' yoke 61, into engagement with contact 54 and the switch members63 and 66 are moved so as to connect the contacts 67 and 64. Then the ignition switch 132 is closed. This causes the vibrator 140 to operate to pro-- duce the intermittentbuilding up and discharge ofthe ignitioncoil 73 through the secondary winding 77, elements 59, 58, 91,

90, 105 and 107, from whence thesparking impulse will jump to either of the distributor contacts 125 or 125. These contacts are connected with spark plugs in themgine cylinders which precede in firing order the cylinder/162. One of. these cylinders 161 is shown. The explosion of fuel charge in the cylinder 161'vvilldrive the pisself-operative the switch handle 62 is moved from the position shown in Fig. '2 to that" shown in Fig. 6. In the wiring diagram this change in position of the switch'corresponds to a movement of the members 63,

66 into engagement with the contact 65 and the movement of the member 58 into engagement with contact 94. When this occurs the primary winding 76 will-be connected with the batter and with the timer contacts 31 and 32 an the secondarywinding 77 will be connected with the center contact 92 of the distributor from whence ignition current im ulses are normally distributed by the brush 119 during the normal operation of the engine. gram, brush 119 is shown in' engagement with the contact 125 which is connected with .the spark plug 165 in cylinder 162. With the clrcuits thus arranged'a cylinder iio In the dia--' will be -fired a little in advance of the end It is apparent from the foregoingithat ise .been eliminated when the vibrator the possibility of causing the engine to run in the reverse direction when started by the vibrating or shower spark ignition, has is brought into operation. The distributing circuits are so arranged that the spark impulses will be delivered to those cylinders which precede in firing order the cylinder which normally would be fired by single spark ignition. For example, the piston 167 receives an explosive impulse ahead of the piston 170. The piston 167 will be on its downward travel at a time when the piston 170 is ending the compression stroke. Therefore any explosion taking place in the cylinder 161 when the vibrator is turned on, will cause the piston 167 to continue its downward travel, consequently there is no opportunity for reversal of the engine to take place.

It will be understood that thepresent invention is not limited -to engines having asymmetrical firing order.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described constitutes a preferred form of embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that 'otherforms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What I claim is as follows:

1. an ignition system, the combination with a inulticylinder engine; of a battery; a. timer; an ignition. coil; a vibrator; spark shower distributing means; single spark distributing means;, and provisions for connecting together the battery,-vibrator andvprimary winding of the ignition coil and for connecting together the secondary winding of the ignition coil and the spark shower distributing means, or for connecting together the battery, timer and said primary winding and for connecting to gether the single spark distributing means with said secondary winding.

2. In an'ignition system, the combination with a multicylinder engine; of a battery;

'a timer; anignition coil; a vibrator; spark shower distributing means; single spark distributing means; and provisions for connecting together the battery, vibrator and.

primary winding of the ignition coil and for connecting the secondary winding of the ignition coil and the spark shower dis-- tributing means, or for disconnecting the vibrator and for connecting the single spark distributing means with said secondary winding.

3. In an ignition system, the combination position to connect the battery with the ig-' nition coil primary and with the timer, and at the same time to connect the ignition coil secondary with the single spark distributing means, said manually operable member being movable to another position to connect the battery with the timer and coil primary, and at the same time to connect the coil secondary with the spark shower distributing means.

lnIn an ignition unit, the combination witn a support carrying a distributor rotor having a plurality of distributing conductors; of a distributor head having stationary contacts to which sparking impulses are directed by said distributing conductors, and having stationary conductors arranged to be engaged respectively by said distributing conductors; an ignition coil; and switching means for connectingthe coil secondary with one or the other of said stationary conductors. I

'5..In an ignition unit, the combination with a support carrying a distributor rotor having a plurality of distributing conductors; of a distributor head having stationary contacts to which sparking impulses aredirected by said distributing conductors, and

having stationary conductors arranged to be engaged respectively by said distributing conductors; an ignition coil; and switching means mounted on the'distributor head forconnecting the coil secondary with one or the other of said stationary conductors.

(5. In an ignition unit, the combination with a support carrying a distributor rotor having a plurality of distributing conductors; of a distributor-head having stationary contacts to which sparking impulses are directed by said distributing conductors, and having stationary conductors arranged to be engaged respectively by said distributing conductors; an ignition coil mounted in said head; and switching means mounted in said head for connecting the coil secondary with one or the other of said stationary conductors.

' In testimony whereof I hereto aflix my signature.

JOHN H. HUNT. lVitnesses I H. E. SOLLENBERGER C. D, ILLER. 

